In this guide

Christmas Lights Installation Price per Foot

The average cost of installing Christmas lights ranges from $2 to $5.50 per foot for materials and labor. Labor makes up $1.50 to $4$1.25 to the final cost. Most companies set their pricing based on the footage of the roofline and charge by the foot. The number of stories of the house is a factor that affects the cost per square foot. You can expect to pay more for a three-story house than a one-story house. On average, the low-cost option for a 1,000 sq. ft. house with one story is $225 to $450. A 1,000 sq. ft. home would require 100 linear feet of lights. On the high end, a homeowner can expect to pay between $425 and $650 for 300 linear feet of lights for a three-story, 1,000 sq. ft. home. The chart below illustrates the cost to install Christmas lights on houses of different square footage.

Christmas Lights Price by Type

Many different Christmas lights are on the market that range in price between $5 and $60 per strand. The type of Christmas lights that you choose is likely influenced by the use of the lights, location of installation, and your own personal taste. The chart below illustrates the different types of Christmas lights on the market and their respective costs, followed by a description in the subsections below.

Dome Christmas Lights 

Dome Christmas lights are commonly used for accents and landscaping. They are smaller in size, have a round appearance, and come in various colors. Dome lights give off a soft wide-spread glow, making them appear like snowflakes, great for brightening up large spaces. The average cost for a strand of dome lights is $5 to $15.

Incandescent Christmas Lights

Incandescent lights are the most common traditional choice for holiday lighting. They come in many different sizes, including mini incandescent lights. These lights work by incandescence, meaning light produced by heat. An electrical current is passed through a filament, heating the filament until it produces light. Incandescent lights are a good option if you are looking for a cost-effective type of light; however, they use more energy than other types of lights and burn out much quicker. You can expect to pay between $5 and $20 per strand for incandescent lights.

LED Christmas Lights Cost

LED Christmas lights average between $6 and $60 per strand. They produce light when electrons move around within its semiconductor structure. LED bulbs are brighter and last longer than others (100,000 hours). These recyclable lights use much less energy compared to the others, making them more energy-efficient. Unlike other types of lights, if one LED light burns out or goes missing, the whole strand keeps working, and the light can simply be replaced. LED lights are more expensive, and so are the installation costs.

C3 Christmas Lights

C3 Christmas lights are the smallest of the strawberry-shaped bulb style, measuring around ½ inch in diameter and ⅘ inches in height. These bulbs are most commonly used to wrap around bushes and porches outdoors and for mantels, trees, or small displays indoors. They come in both incandescent and LED options. The price for C3 lights averages between $7 and $30 per strand.

C5 Christmas Lights

C5 Christmas lights are very similar to the C6 Christmas lights but are a bit smaller in size. These lights are suitable for both outdoor and indoor uses. C5 strands have more lights than the bigger style of these bulbs. They add a great touch to your outdoor garden. These lights are offered in both LED and incandescent options. The price for C5 lights averages between $7 and $40 per strand.

C6 Christmas Lights

C6 Christmas lights are great for adding lights to outdoor trees and wreaths and indoor trees and mantels. C6 strands have more lights than the C7 and C9 bulbs. They offer a fuller appearance when wrapped around your home or roof. These lights are offered in both LED and incandescent options. The price for C6 lights averages between $7 and $40 per strand.

C7 Christmas Lights

C7 Christmas lights are a popular option for indoor use and on smaller residences such as condos and townhomes. These lights are very similar to the C9 lights, except that they are smaller in size. These lights are offered in both LED and incandescent options. They are great for wrapping around trees and illuminating different areas. The price for C7 lights averages between $7 and $50 per strand.

C9 Christmas Lights

C9 Christmas lights are a popular option for roofs and window decorating and come in both LED and incandescent options. They are the larger size of the most traditional size of Christmas lights, C9 and C7. The number refers to the size of the socket on the cord. These lights are great for adding a bright emphasis on your home as they let off a lot of light; however, you get fewer lights on the strand in comparison to the smaller lights. The price for C9 lights averages between $10 and $60 per strand.

Average Cost for Christmas Light Installation

On average, homeowners pay approximately $450 for professional Christmas light installation on a 1,500 sq. ft. home, with an average range between $250 and $650. Depending on the company, they will either charge by the project or per foot. Larger companies offer light installation packages that include consultation, strands, installation, and takedown. Their services cost between $350 and $1,200. If you prefer not to do a package and hire an individual by the hour to do the installation, you are looking at paying approximately $60 to $100 per hour. Approximately 65% of the project’s cost is for labor, and the other 35% is for materials.

Some cost factors that influence the cost of installation include the linear feet of the roofline, the number of stories of the house, the type of lights, and the number of lights. You can expect to pay more for installation if you have more feet of wiring. If you are looking to hang lights on your roof and in your landscaping, more lights are required. Therefore, your job will cost more than a job for roof light installation only. Another factor influencing the cost is the number of stories in your house. If you have a two-story home compared to a one-story home, you are looking at more equipment needed and more safety measures to be put in place and, therefore, a higher cost. LED lights are typically more expensive than incandescent lights, so the type of light you choose affects the cost. Various colors, sizes, and styles are available to choose from that range in price. Finally, the number of lights plays a role in the final cost of the project. You can decide whether you want the lights to wrap tightly around the trees or have them closely secured on your roof. If you prefer to have more lights, then the overall cost increases.

The project can be completed by a professional light installation company decorating expert. The process begins with a visit to your home to discuss your decorating plan that will bring your Christmas vision to life. The professional will follow up with a visit to measure each roof area. Before doing the job, they determine the proper length of each light strand to avoid any wires hanging down. From there, they take care of the rest. Their services will include the consultation, decorations, timers, extension cords, lights (if you don’t have your own), installation, timely removal once the season is over, and hassle-free replacement if anything breaks. All you will need to provide is the power for the lights.

Christmas Light Wiring

To install Christmas lights, you need to make sure you have enough electrical outlets to power them. If you require more, you can hire an electrician to install an outlet at an average rate of $120 to $180 per outlet. Depending on the size of the home and the types of lights, you may need to install more than one outlet for the lights. Most homeowners opt for purchasing a timer for their lights that automatically turns them on and off at scheduled times. Timers can be purchased for $12 to $50 each. If you require an electrician to install the timer, then you are looking at $85 for the job.

Christmas Light Rental Cost

If you do not want to spend money on purchasing lights for your home, you can rent lights from a local Christmas light installation company. The average price for light rental is $200 to $600, including installation. You can expect to pay a little more for LED lights ($550 for 150 linear feet installed) than incandescent lights ($375 for 150 linear feet installed).

Renting Christmas lights can be more pricey than an installation only package that uses your own lights. This option saves you the hassle of purchasing your own lights, taking them down, and storing them for years. Aside from the lights, these rental packages also include set-up, takedown, and hassle-free maintenance for any issues.

Cost to Remove and Install Christmas Lights

Christmas light removal costs between $125 and $350 per project or $0.50 to $0.65 per linear foot. Most companies include the cost for removal in the Christmas lighting installation packages. The date for removal will be discussed during your initial consultation. If this date has to be switched due to bad weather or other unforeseen circumstances, then the company will contact you right away.

Permanent Christmas Lights Cost

Permanent Christmas lights, exactly as the name states, are permanently installed exterior lighting for any home or business. These lights stay up year-round and cost an average of $3,500. These lights come in unlimited colors and animation options and are programmable by a phone app. You have the option of controlling your lights for every holiday or special occasion. Homeowners who opt into purchasing permanent lights eliminate the hassle and stress of hanging holiday lights every year and can enjoy the nighttime lighting all year round. The permanent lights are most commonly LED lights, which last up to 100,000 hours, or five years. If a light goes out or maintenance is required, a small fee is charged for replacement.

Cost to Run Christmas Lights

Homeowners can expect to pay an additional cost of $15 to $60 per month on their utility bills during the holiday lighting season. The number and type of lights directly influence the cost. If you opt to purchase the old-style incandescent bulbs, you can expect to pay a lot more than LED lights. A string of 25 incandescent C9 bulbs, the big, plump bulbs used outdoors, uses approximately 175 watts of electricity to run for 45 days, assuming a 12 hour day operation. A comparable string of C9 LED lights uses 2.4 watts of electricity run over the same duration of time.

Enhancement and Improvement Costs

Battery Powered Christmas Lights

Investing in battery-powered Christmas lights can be a great enhancement choice for many homeowners. While they help eliminate limitations caused by far-away power outlets and tangled up extension cords, battery-powered lights offer many other benefits. Some benefits include saving you money on your energy bills by eliminating the need to plug into a power source and being able to put the lights wherever you desire. They are suitable for indoor and outdoor use and run at a low voltage, meaning that shock is extremely unlikely. They are very safe to use. The average cost for battery-operated Christmas lights is $6 to $35 per strand.

Light Timer Installation

Any homeowner that installs Christmas lights should consider purchasing a light timer. A light timer is a small device that consists of a programmable, automatic on and off switch. You can set the timer to automatically turn your lights on at dusk and off at dawn. This eliminates the worry of leaving your lights on overnight or not being able to turn your lights on when the sun goes down. These timers are beneficial in controlling how long your lights are on. Lights wrapped around trees and in gardens should not be left on for prolonged periods or overnight. They can easily overheat and potentially cause a fire. Timers can be purchased for $12 to $50 each with an installation fee of $60 to $100 per hour.

Christmas Tree Light Service

In addition to hiring a professional company to install your outdoor Christmas lights, you can also hire them to install your indoor Christmas tree lights. This can help to eliminate one less hassle during the holidays. Similar to outdoors, indoor services include design consultation, installation, maintenance, and removal services. The average cost of Christmas tree light service is $150 to $400, including materials and labor.